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Misamis Oriental

Lubi-Lubi Festival

Lubi-Lubi Festival is a coconut festival and religious fiesta in the city of Gingoog, Misamis Oriental, Philippines every May 22nd. The date may be declared a special non-working holiday such as Proclamation No. 1145 in 2021.

The annual revelry is held at the same time with the feast day of city patroness, Sta. Rita de Cascia. It is also a celebration of coconut, one of the city’s major agricultural products.

The city also celebrates the charter anniversary every July.

History of Lubi-Lubi Festival

Lubi-Lubi Festival comes from the word lubi, the local word for coconut. The festival may have been first conducted in Gingoog City in 2009 (based from several news reports that stated it was on its seventh year in 2015).

Furthermore, sayaw sa lubi-lubi or coconut dance is the unique cultural street dance that festival-goers can witness in this annual event.

According to the local government, it is the “most original and indigenous fun dance” where contingents incorporate many elements of the coconut tree and coconut derivative products into the performances and costumes.

Coconut industry in Gingoog City

The festival turns the spotlight on the city’s coconut production and industry. Of the 74,000 hectares of agricultural land in Gingoog City, about 40% were allocated to the cultivation of coconut trees.

Notable institutions are the satellite office of the Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Global Coconut Oil Mill Inc., and Wilmar Edible Oil Philippines Incorprated.

In general, Misamis Oriental is one of the major coconut players in this part of Mindanao, producing in excess of 500 thousand metric tons of coconut in 2021. The province also holds the coconut festival called Kuyamis Festival every January.

Fiesta of Sta. Rita de Cascia

Lubi-Lubi Festival is held in conjunction with the feast day of Santa Rita de Cascia (St. Rita of Cascia). Early Christian missionaries were Augustinian Recollect priests, and it was Spanish Jesuit friar Fr. Felix Garcia from Butuan who began conversion of the natives in the 18th century.

A church was erected in what is presently called Daang Lungsod (Old Town).

However, its land area was small in comparison to its increasingly growing population and its coast was diminished by rising water level.

So the church and town center were transferred to its present-day location in an area called Gahub-Mangiskis. The town was founded in 1868.

A brick-wood church was constructed beginning in 1892 and finished in 1895. It was declared a parish in 1896 with Sta. Rita de Cascia as its titular. It suffered major damages in the Second World War, and reconstructions were carried out in succeeding decades.

Lubi-lubi Festival Activities

Lubi-lubi Festival Activities include parade, street dancing competition, beauty pageant (Miss Gingoog), talent competitions, concerts, various entertainment shows, cultural presentations, “Stairway to the Stars,” Bayorotorera/Layag Display, Sea-Reyna contest, etc.

How to reach Gingoog City

Book a flight to Laguindingan Airport (about three hours) or Butuan City Airport (about an hour or so) and travel via land trip to Gingoog City.

References

Lubi-Lubi Festival Summary

NameLubi-Lubi Festival
CelebrationCoconut, Culture, Religion
ChurchSta. Rita de Cascia Parish Church
Contact(088) 328-0799
CountryPhilippines
DateMay 22
Established2009
Facebookwww.facebook.com
LocationGingoog City, Misamis Oriental
OrganizerCity Government of Gingoog City
PatronSta. Rita de Cascia
ReligionRoman Catholic
Simultaneous eventReligious fiesta of Sta. Rita de Cascia
Websitegingoog.gov.ph